“We can skip dessert.” Oliver’s voice whispered in my ear, I quiz him with my look. “You look so serious, I thought maybe you were reconsidering.” I was reconsidering but not in the way he thought. Gently shaking my head, he smiled. “Good. I wasn’t ready to go home just yet.”
“There is no way Drew is getting out of buying me dessert, especially after all the free cupcakes he gets from the shop.”
Oliver’s eyebrows shoot sky high, “Free? How does he get free cupcakes when I’m getting charged for them?”
“Simple. Drew isn’t trying to sleep with me.”
“I’m,” Oliver begins to protest, “Yeah, okay. But for the record, I wanted dinner first.”
“How have I managed to end up sounding like a prostitute in this discussion?”
Oliver throws his head back, letting out a hearty rumbling laugh. “I guess it has something to do with you charging me for one hundred and fifty cupcakes.”
“Look, buddy, we’re out and about to have a meal together, I wouldn’t go pushing your luck any further.”
“It’s not a date, though, remember that?”
“That’s right, so don’t go expecting a kiss at my door when you drop me off.” My eyes fall on Oliver’s lips which turn up in that gorgeous way they did when he smiled. Even though we had been joking back and forth I still held out a slight glimmer of hope that he would walk me to the door and try his luck, even though we’ve gone over the fact it is a non-date multiple times. Something had changed between us, or maybe it was just me that had changed the way I saw him. The wall I’d had up because of him was starting to fall, rock by rock it was crumbling to the ground. I wanted the memory back of how it felt to have him kiss me.
“Daisy, you’d better stop looking at me that way if you don’t want me to try to kiss you on our non-date.” His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, sliding up and down in his throat as I wondered what it would feel like to run my tongue over the stubble that was growing along his jawline.
“Sorry.” I managed to choke out the single word. Meaningless, I wasn’t even the slightest bit sorry.
Drew calling me brings my attention from Oliver and to him, “Dase, You want yoghurt?”
* * *
It’s after midnight when Oliver pulls his car into my driveway. The street is silent and we hadn’t passed another car for at least twenty minutes. The night was ours like we were the only two people left on the planet.
“Thank you for tonight, Ollie.”
He chuckles, the sound warms me, causing me to smile too. “You’re thanking me? I should be thanking you, scratch that, I should be thanking Drew.”
“Yeah maybe, it was fun.”
“Yeah, it was. Look, I’m heading back to the city tomorrow but I wanted to ask if you’d go on another non-date with me when I get back to Fosford.”
“You’re leaving again?” I couldn’t mask the hurt I was feeling because he was going away.
“I have to, Daisy Blossom. But I’ll be back.” His fingertips brush my hair back and tucks it gently behind my ear.
“Back for how long, Oliver? Days? Weeks? Months? And then what, you’ll be gone again?”
“I don’t know, maybe. The shrink said I might be able to return to active duty but she has to sign me off first.”
“So what is this? Killing some time with me before you head back to your normal life? A game to make me fall in love with you, so you can break my heart all over again?” My hand rests on the door handle, I pray this time it will open and not keep me trapped here in what could be history repeating.
“I want you to come back with me, Dase.”
I try to laugh, instead, it is only a choke and bitterness that crosses my lips. “Are you fucking kidding? You want me to change everything about my life to follow you to the city like some lost and lovesick school girl?”
“No, I want you to come to the city and be with me. Isn’t that what you wanted all those years ago, for me to take you with me?”
“Fuck off, Oliver.” I didn’t like to curse, only in extreme cases had I let myself become so riled up that I swore. “This place is my home. My family, the shop, Drew, everything is here. Everything I have worked my arse off for is here.” I slam my shoulder into the door and send up a silent pray when it creaks before swinging wide.
I’m on the top step fumbling with my keys when I feel Oliver’s hand wrap around my wrist, spinning me to face him before his body slams against mine, pushing me against the security door he so thoughtfully had installed. I needed this door between us, locking out the past with this man.
Before I can protest his mouth is on mine, assaulting and demanding my lips in a kiss that had me feeling weak to resist. My lips are locked with his tongue the only key.
My hands ball into fists, hitting his hard chest before gripping his shirt. His tongue dancing deliciously inside my mouth, the taste of him was intoxicating me.
“No.” Summoning my willpower I push him away roughly, his body budging enough to give me the much needed space between us, our breathing heavy. “You don’t get to come here and kiss me and think I’m going to fall at your feet and follow you back to your life in the city. No, Oliver. No.”
“I’m sorry, you’ve got to realise I need you in my life, Sweetheart. The city could use a Sweet Nothing’s, I thought this could be a good fit.”
“It’s not just about the shop you arsehole. I won’t go to the city and if you won’t leave the city then I guess we’re at a stalemate. Thank you for the night, I’m going inside now so you should be leaving.”
I turn away from him, my hand back on the key in the lock, counting to five before I twist the lock to free to the door. When I heard Oliver curse and his steps retreating back to the car I knew I had made the right decision in sending him away, again he was leaving without a fight. History did repeat.
25
oLIVER
* * *
The city was almost the last place I wanted to be, the shrink’s room was the last. I had gotten to my appointment early, hoping to get in and out and have it over and done with. Fast.
I was still angry with myself for ruining a great night out with Daisy, we had made progress and I had managed to fuck it all up within the space of ten minutes of being back in Fosford.
“Oliver, got something on your mind?” Her brow was knit as she was trying to get a read on me.
“No.” It was reminiscent of our first session, short and sharp answers without giving too much away, it was none of her business anyway what was going on in my personal life. All she should have been concerned with is whether I was fit to return to work.
She sighs before proceeding, “How have things been since our last session?”
“Peachy. My head is clear, my body is rested and I want to get back to work.” My head was filled with thoughts of Daisy, the thoughts of that day at the abandoned hospital had dissipated and I felt like I could relax more now, that was all she needed to know.
“So you think you’re ready?”